Muslim Parents of Fallen Soldier Endorse, Upstage Hillary

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — The best speech of the final day of the Democratic National Convention was one you may not have seen. It was delivered by the parents of U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004.

The speech was, in some ways, a counter to the speech of Patricia Smith, the bereaved Benghazi mother who addressed the GOP convention last week and blamed Hillary Clinton for her son’s death. In some ways, it was too good: what could follow?

Here is the video and transcript:

Tonight, we are honored to stand here as the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan, and as patriotic American Muslims with undivided loyalty to our country.

Like many immigrants, we came to this country empty-handed. We believed in American democracy — that with hard work and the goodness of this country, we could share in and contribute to its blessings.

We were blessed to raise our three sons in a nation where they were free to be themselves and follow their dreams.

Our son, Humayun, had dreams of being a military lawyer. But he put those dreams aside the day he sacrificed his life to save his fellow soldiers.

Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son “the best of America.”

If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America.

Donald Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims. He disrespects other minorities, women, judges, even his own party leadership. He vows to build walls and ban us from this country.

Donald Trump, you are asking Americans to trust you with our future. Let me ask you: Have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words “liberty” and “equal protection of law.”

Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery? Go look at the graves of the brave patriots who died defending America — you will see all faiths, genders, and ethnicities.

You have sacrificed nothing and no one.

We can’t solve our problems by building walls and sowing division.

We are Stronger Together.

And we will keep getting stronger when Hillary Clinton becomes our next President.

Yes, the speech makes a few factual leaps. The Constitution does not prevent the government from barring foreigners on the basis of religion. Trump has not proposed banning U.S. citizens. And he has acknowledged some Muslims’ contributions.

Still, it was a powerful rebuke to Trump, basically charging that he is unfit to lead the kind of country their son died to defend.

The impact of the speech was only partially undone by the anti-war hecklers that faced subsequent speakers. Nothing Hillary Clinton said packed anything like the same punch Even Trump fans would have to hope he takes the message to heart.